DOOMSDAY preppers spend a fortune stockpiling apocalypse-ready food, nuclear masks, and hazardous materials for their children.
Some consider the survivors to be paranoid conspiracy theorists who fear the end of the world, but they may be right.
Fears of World War III have Vladimir Putin threatening nuclear destruction by the West following his invasion of Ukraine.
The war between Israel and Hamas can easily trigger a wider war in the Middle East, as well as a global conflict.
The Doomsday Clock, which measures how close the world is to disaster, currently reads 90 seconds to midnight.
The chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, Adm. Rob Bauer, warned that other people deserve to make fundamental arrangements for an imaginable “full-scale war. “
He said, “You want to have water in the house, a battery-powered radio and a battery-powered flashlight. That way you can do it for the first 36 hours. “
“It all starts with the understanding that everything can be planned. “
The UK’s fragile food supply chain was laid bare in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic as shoppers stocked up, leaving supermarket shelves empty.
I heard about the concept of preparation in magazines and found that it makes a lot of sense. In recent years, it has skyrocketed.
Preparers may have a very clever argument that wants to be heard.
This growing organization of people has been preparing for the worst situation for years.
Closets are full of preserves, cars are full of blankets, and even emergency bags have flares, just in case the worst happens.
In the UK, specialists have opened their doors, touting leftover military equipment: freeze-dried food pallets, hand-cranked flashlights and radios, water purifiers and even complete nuclear survival kits.
Preppers Shop UK, in Wadebridge, Cornwall, founded ten years ago through Lincoln Miles, who says the business has been booming since the lockdowns.
He told The Guardian: “I’ve read articles about preparation in magazines and found that it makes a lot of sense.
“In recent years it has skyrocketed.
“There are other people in the middle of the attack who talk about nuclear war and other things, but there are many other degrees to prepare for; [People] are worried about natural disasters.
Miles says Covid has been the big boost to his business, as other people now realise that if a crisis happens, “we’ll be on our own”.
Their store sells a kit containing freeze-dried food for a month for £478. 71.
While the UKPreppingShop site sells a one-person nuclear survival kit, complete with a fuel mask, for £564. 95.
Many other people in high positions say that we are on the verge of breaking World War III.
Anyone interested in getting their hands on a hazmat suit (available in adult and children’s sizes) can get one for £95 from Pennines-based Sgt Preppers, as well as guides on how to live ‘off the grid’.
Former Private Tom Blakey, who served in Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, told Metro: “There are a lot of other people in senior positions who say we’re on the brink of World War III. “
Tom, 52, served in an elite unit called the Pathfinders, which acts as the “eyes and ears” of the British Army’s 16th Air Assault Brigade, operating enemy lines to transmit important data as quickly as possible.
He cautioned that while the first 36 hours of a crisis are crucial, they are the beginning.
What happens if the bridge you were looking to cross collapses?What if you don’t have a water supply? You want to be prepared for the “what if. . . “»
Tom says, “An attack would possibly not be carried out in the classic way we think about war, with a physical invasion or the dropping of bombs.
“It may simply be a cyberattack that could wipe out our phones, our energy reserves and our water infrastructure in one fell swoop.
“Whatever the risk, whether it’s the weather, other human beings, an herb crisis, the first step is to get away from it and have a plan B.
“What happens if your car breaks down? What happens if the bridge you wanted to cross collapses?What if you don’t have a water supply? You want to be prepared for the “what if. . . “» »
When he was young, Tom’s father, a Vietnam veteran, conducted fire drills at his home with Tom’s brother and sister.
They climbed out of the windows as the false “fire” burned around them.
Children were not even allowed to wear balaclavas or headphones, as their father told them that they had to be aware of everything and nothing around them.
In the last 3 years of his military career as a reservist on the Red Devils’ paratrooper team, he got injured and when the Covid pandemic hit, he had plenty of time to search the internet.
He discovered that he was preparing videos on YouTube and found that he had skills that he could teach to a developing community.
The movement began in the United States, but has since spread across the Atlantic and around the world.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 raised fears of war, but ongoing conflicts involving Iran and the Middle East, China and Taiwan, and North Korea are causing the world to hold its breath.
General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the Defence Staff, recently said that it is possible that the British could even be drafted if the UK goes to war with Russia.
Meanwhile, the Middle East has a powder keg destabilized by Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas, attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, and recent clashes and measures between Iran and Pakistan.
And NATO recently announced its biggest appeal in decades, as 90,000 troops prepare to begin World War III exercises.
With reports of Putin’s deteriorating health, there are fears that he may turn to nuclear weapons out of desperation.
North Korea is poised to attack the West as Putin’s alliance with deranged leader Kim Jong-Un continues to grow.
But Kim also threatened to start his own war after calling South Korea his “main enemy,” adding that it should not ignore nuclear weapons.
Across Asia, fears continue to grow over a conceivable Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Beijing has already threatened to unleash “uncontrolled escalation” and all-out war over a “misunderstanding” as President Xi Jinping seeks to assert his authority.
China considers the self-governing island of Taiwan to be part of its territory and has pledged to take it by force if necessary, with normal invasion rehearsals.
And Iran’s terrorist proxies – Hezbollah and the Houthis – have already clashed with Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom.
But after Iran attacked targets like Pakistan with drones and bomb-laden rockets, fears of all-out war in the Middle East have never been greater.
Tom says, “I think there’s a certain stigma around the word ‘prepper. ‘People think we’re conspiracy theorists hiding in the woods.
“It may simply be due to the American stereotype, especially since the trainers there can concentrate on weapons rather than fundamental skills.
“For many of us in the UK, it’s much more convenient. I think it’s vital to have a curious brain and question things, even though I’m not a conspiracy theorist.
Former soldier Leigh Price sees preparation as a form of “insurance policy. “
After serving his country in the 1990s, he spent 20 years in the industry.
Today, he owns the Bug Out shop in Builth Wells, Wales, which supplies clothing and preparedness and survival kits.
Their most popular product is a line of freeze-dried preserves that can last until 2047.
According to Leigh, as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the value of cans has skyrocketed by as much as 56 percent.
He says other people now know the importance of existing in order to survive.
Leigh believes that everyone believes that the government will take the mandatory measures when things go wrong, but that may not happen.
The truth is that we are on a knife’s edge. We are close to war and other people only now know it.
He said others hark back to the days when communities supported each other.
While Leigh doesn’t believe the biggest risk will come from a nuclear attack, it’s more likely to be a technological attack.
He says, “The truth is, we’re on a knife’s edge. We are close to war and other people only now know it. I don’t think a nuclear war will happen, they don’t need one. “
“But a cyberattack or a power outage can still cause a lot of panic. Other desperate people will do desperate things to survive.
If the worst were to happen, Tom and Leigh’s other people would be reporting to each other and not depending on those in power.
Tom says: “In the case of cyberattacks affecting the UK, they are relentless. We can’t stay here anymore and think that everything will be fine.
“Taking small steps can mean the difference between life and death in the future.
“Risks exist, and in real life, and they are unpredictable.
“We have to be in a position to face them head-on. “
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